Ditching-machine.



B. M. R OLPH.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FI LED NOV. 23, I916.

Patented. Jan. 8, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l OM01 a 5 n4 N\ B. M ROLPH.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 23. I916- 0Q m m r 1 m :T v 00 u m E M m 1% a P M MI W- ifi WMWJ ran ra ion BENJAMIN M. ROLPH, OF DIXON, ILLINOIS.

DITCHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 8,1918.

Application filed November 23, 1916. Serial No. 132,930.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN M. RoLPH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dixon, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to ditching machines, of that class which are self-propelled, and which accomplish the work of excavating by means of a series of scoops mounted on a rotatable wheel, such as is shown in Letters Patent of the United States issued to myself May 12, 1908, numbered 887,129.

One of the purposes of the present invenspecification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying the same, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevationof the left side of the machine. Fig. 2 is a similar view of theright side thereof. Fig.3 shows one of the scoops 34 in medial longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a rear end view thereof. Fig. 5 shows the arm 40, in detail. Fig. is a detached view of the agitator 38. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the shoe 4-1 and supporting mechanism. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation thereof.

Similar parts are indicated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the several figures.

1 represents the main frame of the machine, supported on carrying wheels 2, and 3 is an auxiliary frame having connecting arches 4, united by bars 5, and connected with the front part of the frame members 3 by braces 6. The forward end of the frame 3 is supported by means of cables 7 attached thereto and passing upwardly over rollers 8 on supports 9 fixed to the frame 1, and thence downwardly under rollers 10 on the frame 1 to a pair of drums 11 on a shaft 12 at the rear end of the frame 1. Said drums are on the outside of the frame, and only one thereof is shown in the drawings. (Fig.

2.) The rear end of the frame 3 is supported by a pair of cables 13- connected therewith and passing upwardly over rollers 14: on posts 15 mounted on the frame 1, and thence downwardly to a pair of drums. (not, shown) on the shaft 12, on the inside of the frame 1. The shaft 12 can be rotated-by usual clutch connections with the main shaft of the motor,-to raise or lower the frame 3 at will. I

At its forward end the frame 3 is provided on each side with rollers 16, which are engaged by arc-shaped guides 17 fixed to the frame 1, and the rear end of the frame 3 hasrollerslS operating on the faces of arcs 19 secured near the'rear end of the frame 1. Mounted on the frame 1 is a main-driveshaft 20, which is located centrally of a circle of which the guide 17 forms a part, and

by this means in the-upward and downward tends downwardly from the frame 3 and is provided at its lower end with a wheel 28 which engages the inner face of the rim 21 and. assists in steadyingthe same; On one end of the drive-shaft 20 is a sprocket gearwheel 29 actuated by a sprocket-chain 30 from a similar gear-wheel 31 on the main motor shaft 32, the motor being mounted on the rear end of the frame 1, and inclosed in a casing 33. Movement is imparted from the shaft 20 to the shaft 25 to cause a rotation of the wheel 21 by means of suitable gearing, similar to that shown and described in said former patent, and also to operate the propelling devices of the machine, such parts not being specifically novel nor involved in the present application.

A series of scoops 34 is supported outwardly from the rim 21, by means of arms 35 at the forward ends of the scoops and at their rear ends by means of bearings 36 on the rim 21 and bearings 37 on the inner faces of the scoops, between which bearings are rotatably held agitators 38, each formed of a plurality of blades 39, and adapted to in the scoop, especially in the rearend thereof, Where it is necessary to have some kind of'a gate or closure. Thea-agitators 38 proide a su icie t obst uct on to hold the ma- 7 terial When the scoop is 1 being filled, and

at' the'same timesuccessively dislodge the sameat the desired pointfin the rotation of lodged 'in the en the trenc the Wheel. The arm 40 is spring-supported so as to prevent breakage in case a' small boulder or other obstruction should become ,of the scoop, against the agitator, v

Mounted on the rear part of the frame 8 are cross-pieces 41, from which are supported an. arc-shaped plate42 and braces 43 therefor. Ashoe 44, corresponding in shape with the plate 42, is supported therefrom by means of a short .tongue'45 on the shoe passing through a longitudinal slot 46 in the support 42, and provided on the inner end. with an eye 48 adapted to receive the threaded endof a rod 49, provided near its upper end with a bearing 50 resting on a plate 51 mounted on the cross-pieces 41. The upper end-of "said rod also has a hand-Wheel .52

by" means of which it can be rotated The.

rotation of said rool results the raising ng 0f t e. hoe '44; a desired.

When the excavating wheel is operation the shoe44 follows closely behind the same,

earth from falling back into "W at. inf t li n of @011- siderafble size is encountered "by the excavatpreventinIgrthe as h s it e essa o'r h a e ora we t e t betrreeq has. wists b en .mess ar Q m9 e ma -lu ahead several feet, in order to clear not only the Wheel and scoops, but the shoe in rear thereof, but With the adjusting devices above set forth when the Wheel is raised to clear, an obstacle the shoe 44 is raised still higher,

permitting the excavating operation to be continued just beyond the obstacle. .After' the machine has progressed a sufficient distance the shoe is again lowered to operative position. By this meansit is not necessary to clean out so'much of the ditch by hand.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Unitedtator Wheel. adapted .to rotate in the line of movement ofsaid scoop around said vvheel,

and normally forming a stop for the end of said scoop. I v

2. The combination With a portable frame and ditching Wheel rotatably mounted therein,of' aplurality of scoops secured to the 7 periphery'of said Wheel, each provided in its rear end with an agitator Wheel adapted to rotate in the line of movement of said scoops; and means for rotating eachlof said agitator Wheels, in succession, at a predetermined point in the rotation of s ing Wheel. v

3. In a device of the classdescribed, a

aid ditchportable frame; an excavatingwheel rotatably mounted'in' said frame; a plurality of scoopssecured to said Wheel; agitators in the rearrends of said scoops formed ofa plurality of blades rotatably mounted; and

a springarm secured to said frame and. adapted to successively engage sald agitators to suitably operate the same at a desired point in the rotation of said 'Wheel.

In testimonywhereof I afiix my signature, 7 a 1n the presence of two W1tnesses.'

v BENJAMIN M. ROLPH.

Witnesses:

. GERTRUDE G. YOUNGMAN,

fW. "VU H.

Copies 0i patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, 4 i washingtom D c. 

